With Matt Wilson

Pyrénées

In September 2007 I moved to the south of France for five months. Although I was there for the winter I still found abit of time to search for reptiles and amphibians in this species rich area close to the French Pyrénées. I enjoyed my time in this area of the Mediterranean so much that in July 2008 I returned to stay with Herpetologist friend Daniel Phillips at his village in the beautiful sun drenched, vineyard covered hillsides. Furthermore we left the Mediterranean lowlands for several days to ascend to higher altitudes where it was cooler to search for some other species in the Pyrénées.

All photographs (C) Matt Wilson

Table 1: My findings from my two stays in S-W France

Latin name

Common name

winter 07

07/08

Salamandra salamandra

Fire salamander

2

–

Bufo bufo spinosus

Mediterranean common toad

3

15

Bufo calamita

Natterjack toad

3

–

Hyla meridionalis

Mediterranean tree frog

–

many

Rana ridibunda

Marsh frog

many

many

Rana perezi

Perez’s frog

many

many

Rana temporaria

Common frog

–

20+

Discoglossus pictus

Painted frog

3

20+

Alytes obstetricans

Common midwife toad

tadpoles

3

Psammodromus algirus

Large psammodromus

few

few

Tarentola mauritanica

Moorish gecko

few

20+

Podarcis liolepis

Catalan wall lizard

many

2

Podarcis muralis

Common wall lizard

–

many

Zootoca vivipara

Viviparous lizard

–

few

Lacerta agilis

Sand lizard

–

2

Lacerta bilineata

Green lizard

–

5

Timon lepidus

Ocellated lizard

7

20+

Anguis fragilis

Slow worm

1

1

Natrix maura

Viperine snake

4

20+

Natrix natrix

Grass snake

2

–

Hierophis viridiflavus

Western whip snake

–

2

Rhinechis scalaris

Ladder snake

2 slough

2

Malpolon monspessulanus

Montpellier snake

5

4

Coronella austriaca

Smooth snake

–

1

Vipera aspis

Asp viper

–

5

Gravid female Fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) found in December 2007

Female Fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra)

Male Fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) from the same site as the female

During my summer trip myself and Daniel Phillips decided after several days in the Mediterranean part of south west France that it was too hot so went went higher up into the Pyrenees to search for reptiles and amphibians. The species found in this area are alot more temperate than those found lower down, and can tolerate much colder temperatures. Our main targets for these few days were the Pyrenean Asp viper (Vipera aspis zinnikeri) and the Pyrenean subspecies of Sand lizard (Lacerta agilis garzoni). Many thanks to Patrice Baud for his help during these few days.

I was just in the middle of a homechooling session with my son and came to try and identify a lizard I often found in my garden when I lived in St Laurent de Cerdans in the Pyrenees. I found it! Lacerta bilineata. I always called them ‘magic lizards’…’green lizard’ just doesn’t do it justice! Wonderful photos and information, thank you. It was lovely to feel ‘back home’ in the Pyrenees just for a few moments.